Sally Wister's journal, a true narrative

4 October 1777

Battle of Germantown

INTRODUCTION

ON the 25th day of September, 1777, just two weeks after the Battle of the Brandywine, the British Army entered Germantown. On the same day, and but a few miles distant from the place, Sally Wister, a bright and charming Quaker girl, sixteen years of age, began to '* keep a sort of journal ' ' of her observations and experiences. She was a daughter of Daniel Wister, a prosperous merchant of Philadelphia, and was at this time living with her family in the retired farm house of the widow Hannah Foulke, on the Wissahickon, among the hills of Gwynedd, or North Wales, some fifteen miles away from the storm and stress of those anxious and exciting days in the war-blighted city. Here she stayed until the following July, when, the British having left Phila- delphia, she, with the other members of the family, returned to their home in the city. During all this time the Journal was kept up, and occasional entries

INTRODUCTION

1 Original letter in collection of Mr. Charles J. Wister, Jr., of Germantown. Mrs. Logan possibly first learned of the Journal from her friend and fellow-worker in history, John F. Watson, either personally or from his printed work, *' The Annals of Philadelphia," published in 1830, which contains brief extracts from the Journal.

INTRODUCTION

In the nine months which the Journal covers occurred the British capture of Philadelphia, the Battle of Germantown, the surrender of Burgoyne, the skirmishes before Washington's intrenchments at White- marsh, the winter encampment at Valley Forge, the Conway Cabal against Washington, the acknowledg- ment of American Independence by France, and the Mischianza and the other gaieties of the British in Philadelphia. ** But a little distance away from the hills of Gwynedd," says Mr. Howard M. Jenkins, the historian of Gwynedd, *'the greatest actors in the Revolutionary drama were playing their parts, — •Washington, Greene, Lafayette, Wayne, Steuben, Kalb, and all the distinguished list."

ILLUSTRATIONS

^ We are unfortunately given nothing in relation to the Battle of Germantown, which occurred October 4th, in this inter- val. The omission is difficult to understand, becauses she alludes, later, to "the battle of Germantown, and the horrors of that day."— H. M. J.